The best cheap EV? GWM Ora review - electric car test | Ora Good Cat Australia | Ora Funky Cat
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- It is not the cheapest electric car in Australia, but the GWM Ora hatchback could be the best cheap EV you can get.
The new model - launched by Chinese maker GWM - is simply called Ora in Australia, where in other markets it wears the Ora Good Cat or Funky Cat name. And it's here to offer buyers who don't want an SUV an alternative that isn't the ageing Nissan Leaf or expensive Mini Cooper Electric.
With low prices and pretty decent electric driving range, there's a market for a car like this - especially with its intriguing interior finishes and semi-retro-futuristic styling.
It's backed by a long warranty, and should be very easy to live with - but in this review, I just had a chance to take it for a quick spin at a test facility in Victoria.
If you want me to review it in more detail, or just do a 'real-world' drive, let me know.
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00:00 Intro
00:53 Is it the right price?
01:52 What's the best competitor?
02:41 Is it the right size?
03:40 Interior
06:47 Under the bonnet
07:45 Driving
10:35 Efficiency
11:46 Is it safe?
12:38 Ownership
13:01 Verdict
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#ora #GWM #review - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Drove it last Friday night and ordered it then and there. Very impressed. There is no perfect car BUT been looking for something in a regional area that will get me to a regional city an hour away and home without needing a charge. Step in the Long Range or Ultra Ora. At 6’2” I fit in more comfortably than I expected and get out quite easily for an old dude. So impressed with the driving, power and general feel had to order an ultra on the spot. Only worry I’m having is if the Chinese car will go the distance in years. Well I’ll let you know down the track. For my wife to go in/out of town daily and in/out for shopping once a week we expect one charge at home per week. 25km per trip. Apparently the MG site tells me a saving of $1350 per year. In 7 years $9450 saved to take off the $54K price of the Ultra in VIC. Making this little hatchback even better priced. And that is assuming we pay for charging. May get another solar panel or two to help out. Eventually we will trial it to Melbourne 2.5hrs drive and will be keen to see how we go. Anyway… thanks for the review. Comforting to know our gut feeling was on the money.
I wish Toyota would take a look at this interior. Fed up of all-black interiors and this is just great.
It really is neat, right?
Very true, most Toyota interiors seem to have stuck in the 90s
@@passby8070 may be stuck in the 90s but doesn't matter when you have sheep waiting up to 3 years and copping price increase along the way
It’s not just the Toyota interiors stuck in the 90s - the whole company is stuck in the past
The interior is way better than anything on the market in this price point for any type of cars.
Subscribed! I really like your presentation format and general vibe! Only thing I don’t like is that transition sound tbh. Btw would love to see you review the Tesla MY!
Thanks Billy. That sound is part of a game I’ve created. Guess the sound and the car it’s from in the Community page and you will win a prize!!
And I’m doing a Model Y soon. Stay tuned!
At $36,638 on the road in Canberra now this is incredibly tempting
You bet. It’s a lot more appealing at that price
A collaboration with Mini. Nice car.
nice work, YES to a more Urban conditions review.
Did you see my other review on it?
No! Brilliant somehow missed it. WILL WATCH. THANK YOU.
Great review. Is ground clearance good? Funky cat is arriving here in Brasil. Some roads here are pitiful....
Another great review, Matt. After you tested the Tank a couple of weeks ago, I said that it was the first Chinese car that I would seriously consider buying. Well, in a different context, here is the second. I want to see what the GT looks like inside though - the standard interior colour palette is not really my thing. The Chinese car industry just seems to be kicking goals now - it's a bit of an unsavoury thought, but I do wonder how many of the legacy car makers we will lose in the coming decade...
I’ve got bets on a couple of brands being gone by 2030… and maybe one or two by 2025.
its a really different offering style wise and considering how many Aussies like to bash Chinese brands for copying its a great to see such individuality.
Some will say it looks like a mishmash between a Mini and a Beetle. But it’s kinda cool, I reckon.
Cool, interesting car, when a vehicle like this creeps into the $35,000 ish price range they are going to sell ! Always enjoyed your reviews Matt and the "right car" schtick is solid, I would suggest spending a few pesos on some quality graphic design, best of luck mate
Thanks Mark. Appreciate the feedback.
Great review Matt... really like the styling, just not sure about the small boot. If it were under 40k...even closer to the 35k mark, it would be a game changer. Around 43k buys that MG SUV...yes it's a SUV, and not a looker by any stretch, but more space, same range (l believe)...more of a market, perhaps?
I hear what you're saying, and thanks for commenting. Yep, the MG ZS EV and BYD Atto 3 seem to have that mass-market appeal thing ticked off, but I reckon there's a (smaller) market that will like this thing. I hear you on the boot - it'd be a second car if it was part of my garage, as the pram would eat up all the space.
I love this car! Seriously considering buying it once it’s released.
It’s a little honey!
This is the 4th Australian previews I watched of this car and none have mentioned the camera hanging to the right of the driver which based on overseas reviews will stop the car if the driver nods off and also alerts you if you try locking the car and forgot to take your child or dog out.
Thanks - similar thing in Haval Jolion. It’s annoying. 🤷♂️
The interior looks fantastic.
Agree. Well better than the price suggests it should.
Hey Matt will this car have OTA updates like BYD or will it need to be taken in for a service to update like an MG?
Hi mate. The brand says OTA updates are supported. But I’ve not seen any evidence of the updates happening.
Hi Matt, please clarify the battery type and max charge speed in future EV reviews. Based on my limited understanding, the battery type (lfp vs lithium ion vs NMC) determines the performance, range, safety and charging speed. I heard that the MG4 has 2 types of battery (lfp and NMC). Do you know the pros and cons of each type (and are they significantly different)? Thanks in advance!
No worries. It's lithium-ion sourced from CATL in this instance. 11kW on AC and up to 80kW on DC. I'm no battery expert - but apparently the LFP design means you can charge to 100 per cent without fears of degradation. As for NMC, I've read the main advantage is better energy density.
If you haven't seen this already, it's a good summary from people who know a lot more about battery chemistry and pros/cons than I do: www.maxworldpower.com/lithium-battery-lfp-vs-nmc/
Thanks!
Going to drive one tomorrow. We will see how it is
Cool! Try and go more than 80km/h - see if the wind noise is as noticeable as it was when I drove it!
@@therightcar I will try and come back after
@@therightcar So, I've driven the Funky Cat Pro 300. In terms of range, it's spot on with WLTP - 310 km and I currently sit on 306 km.
There's a long range version 400 which can reach almost 250 miles.
Now, price - I understand why this car costs £35k. It destroys ID3 in terms of quality.
My car had all safety features including 360 degree camera with surround view and zoom. It also shows image of both sides so you don't scratch or damage your wheels.
It also have heated seats with ventilation AND massage on both sides, wireless charging, a "Tesla" display which work brilliantly. Icons could be a little bit bigger but the screen is responsive and easier to use than VWs.
Voice commands are really easy to use and it understands everything.
The design cought alot of peoples attention and some came to me and asked about this car.
Now the weak sides:
1. Boot. It's too small for its size.
2. A little bit of wind noise over 80 km/h but nothing you would detect if you have music. on.
3. Drive Mode goes back to default (Normal) every time you shut it down.
4. No Apple Carplay and Android Auto. It will come soon via update.
Now, those who complain about delay in acceleration. The reason for that is Auto Hold which is engaged by default. It's very helpful when parking on hills. The drawback is that it can a bit jerky.
In my opinion Funky Cat is a better value for money than Hyundai Kona, Fiat 500 and Mini Electric, mostly because of its equipment you get as standard and quality. Only if the boot could be bigger and it would be perfect then. You get alot of things that are either option or aren't available at all in other brands.
For me, it's what a Segment B Tesla should be like.
Awesome! Thanks so much for your feedback. I can’t wait to spend a bit of time in one here in Australia.
Remember these vehicles are designed for the younger generation so it will be buttonless and funky. Young people will also play music so road noise will not be a issue. In China they dine out daily so don’t need a big boot for supermarket shopping. Great review of this Ora, thanks. Looking forward to the others.
Are you saying I’m old?! OFFENSIVE! 😂😂
@@therightcar haha don’t worry, you are not there yet. I just find a lot of journalists complaining about adults not fitting in the third row of seats (which are clearly designed for children) and vehicles with no buttons. Young people just want to touch screens or use voice commands. I guess AI will crawl in more and more very soon.
looks funky! what does it cost Matt?
Prices are in the video mate :D
46K for NSW long range. This is ora good cat, if you want funky, there is ora funky cat coming soon .
The ora Cat will be made in Thailand next year but based on Chinese Prices and seeing the mark-ups in Europe this Car should be $5 to $10,000 cheaper. But we live in an age where no one questions prices so we can enjoy increased interest rates and price gouging.
I questioned the price at the event. I expected it to be in the 30k range, but was told that’s simply not a possibility if you want the car to make a profit.
@@therightcar It's Great you asked and they of course gave a stock answer. An average Australian if they were allowed to import any car would have to put $10,000 on top of purchase from China going through a third party that includes Transport and all Government taxes/inspections and this Car would still be cheaper than their Retail price by 5 to 10,000. A Car Manufacturer/Importer cuts costs by ordering and shipping in great numbers eg: A Ship Load of RHD Cats goes to Thailand then Australia,. And in the future they would be made and delivered from Thailand lessening Transport costs. They set the price to What the Market can tolerate not the real cost. The BYD Atto 3 should have been $38,000 when released and included a profit for the importer of around $6,000 on every car but the MG was their only Competition so Bang Exact same Price then when NSW gave a $3,000 EV subsidy Bang Atto 3 up by $3,000 coincidence?
@@therightcar Had a look at Chinese prices and after $10,000 to import one the base 400 Ora Good Cat would be $37,500 and the Top 500 model would be $46,000.
I want one
You can order them - go ahead! :D
If possible please test for the night driving visibility out of the windscreen
As I’ve recently found that a lot of the cheaper vehicles with digital dashboards are a little too bright in semi rural environments
Cheers and keep up the great work
Thanks for the comment. And yep, you’re not wrong about bright screens being distracting at night. It is a condition of Australian design rules that instruments be dimmable, so they must be able to be toned down. But even in some cars I find the screen can still be too bright.
Thanks again!
I can see that a lot of the smaller Japanese Car brands will be irrelevant in the next few years, some of their cars will still sell if available, the main problem is with volumes going down, so does their margins, it won't be long before a lot of them are no longer sustainable.
"When you do put everything on those screens....you become reliant on those screens"
No shot Sherlock.
Are you okay Phillip?
The driver monitoring system does NOT work in this car in NZ and Australia, only works in the GT model. It is supposed to work but GWM China don't have a fix for it. They have been trying to fix my cars DMS for 8 months now. it is not a 5 star ANCAP safety without the driver monitoring system working. please share for the safety of ORA drivers.
Thanks for informing me. I’ll look into it. Should be driving GT in the coming weeks hopefully.
I don't think it's going to be able to compete with an MG4.
We will have to wait and see. The reports on MG4 have been overwhelmingly positive. Can’t wait to drive it!
whats it like as a match up to similar SIZED competitors ENTRY LEVEL vw id 3 or the mg 4 newish hatch ev ? Your nissan leaf example is weak as the nissan is roomier and can taxi , where by this is definitley not a vehicle that can be used for that purpose .
Shame the boot space is a real turnoff for probably half of the serious buyers that want to enter budget wise into their first ev. Visually wise the external shape for me is a kinda old suzuki swift shape . Warranty wise a thumbs up but overall a thumbs down
I’d love to tell you what the VW ID 3 or MG 4 is like as competitors, but neither of them are here in Australia.
I don’t think anyone is thinking of this car for a taxi.
@@therightcar You gave honest,decent reveiw but it sounds like in the oz mkt this newish entry at present stands alone as the leaf has been made for maybe over a decade
The Leaf is here. And so is the Mini Cooper E. But the Ora stands out at its price, with its range, and its tech.
I can’t wait for the MG4 and ID3 - that’ll give us a good indication of where the Ora really sits.
@@therightcarwe can now buy or order the entry level ORA for 32k BRITISH sterling , in exchange rates and if its same spec , it looks like its 10 percent cheaper in OZ . Did a UK search for new ev close to price range of the base ora. PUT 4 door , 200 MILES PLUS AND 3 SUITCASES , SO the ora didnt register BUT 9 available other brands did and all with a close price to the ora . We at present in UK have a much larger choice of budget esqe ev, with longer range and bigger boot . Think the ora cat will be a rare site on uk roads even with as you say, its attractive seats and tec levels.
This or the MG that is the question???????????????????????????????????????????
Personally, I’d be looking at a BYD before either. Review on the Atto 3 coming soon!
@@therightcar It seems a big car and I'm at the age where I won't need the size or have many in the back seat, also, call me a loon, but with the political situation with China you never know what will happen in the future with Taiwan, and perhaps future sanctions, still I may, I look forward to your review. Thanks for the recommendation,
Looks good, but still ????????
I can’t get past the Ora styling; even though the proportions are perfectly mashed from 3-4 different cars: Beetle/Porsche and Leaf and I can’t un-see the resemblance. I can’t think of a good analogy to explain it.
I know virtually all manufacturers copy each but it’s just too blatant for mind.
Could be because the chief designer for GWM's Ora division used to work for Porsche... :D
🤑 CAN NOT WASTE 41 MINUTES TO CHARGE ON THE ROAD STILL A TIME WASTER
Petrol for you for life then?
@@therightcar EV CARS DO NOT LIKE WATER DUST LOW TEMPERATURE HIGH TEMPERATURE PS WHAT IS THE NEW COST OF A BRAND NEW EV BATTERY AFTER 8 YEAR WARRANTY FINISHES THE NEW EV BATTERY COST PRICE WILL BE OVER $25000.00 DOLLARS HOPE YOU GOT A COUPLE OF AFTER PAY LOANS YOU WILL SEE HAAAAAAAA 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
Yeah nahhhhh
GWM - probably fall apart in a couple of years.
Similar price to the American Chevy Bolt from GMC. Not to be confused with Chinese GWM Ora. Not an EV fan in 2023 but would go with the larger company that can better maintain and stand behind their cars. That would be American GMC.
You clearly live somewhere that you can get a Bolt?
@@therightcar You clearly live somewhere that you can get an Ora? 🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂😂😂They are sold in Australia and all over the world. Supply chain issues there?
@@c.a.nixiii4650 no way legacy makers like GM can compete with Chinese EV makers. Unless Biden pull another Huawei and claims for US national security reasons all American allies and colonies need to also sanction car manufacturers. That's the only way
its a bland and some would say ugly , while trying to transport yourself and help the planet while saving on fuel costs ,which may take on average 5-7 yrs to show dollar for dollar that you might be financially better off plus what the used value of your ev with no or very little warranty left is then worth $$ on a sale only basis. I wonder over here in europe what petrol and diesel cars value will be by 2029 which is the end of the line for new production fossil fuel driven cars
Thanks for your thoughts, Ellis. No-one has a crystal ball to tell what’s going to happen, obviously - but my feeling is that, in Australia at least, petrol and diesel models will still be selling in huge numbers in 2029, as there is huge appetite for utes, SUVs and 4WDs. And our market will become something of a dumping ground for “old tech” engines, as has been the case for decades.
It’s going to be interesting to see it pan out. A monumental shift in the mentality of buyers is needed.
It seems like the identified audience for this video is a bit dumb.
"The sport version is a bit more sporty" wow....who would have thought.
What we want to know is the Gross weight the torque the battery and motor technology (how many poles....active battery cooling and heating)...what galvanized steel is used and coats and warranty and backed by whom.
Mate I'm talking to in-market consumers who might be considering this car. I'm sure there are answers to your questions, but I think you need to chill.
Far too expensive, terrible interior, hate the tablet type instrument panels. For half the price you can buy a decent ICE vehicle. NO THANKS.
Half the price? What car this size are you getting with this tech for $23k these days?? You’re dreaming champ.
Lol what you smoking
@@therightcar agreed
@@therightcar You are sitting on your brain. For what this little EV is good for an MG 3 would be better for less than $20,000.
Total lies. Nissan Leaf is waay cheaper than this overhyped thing. $27k-$35k both in the UK and US. This seems to be a paid ad/Nissan dis for GWM
Total MARKET RELEVANT CONTEXT! In Australia the Leaf is $51k. This is cheaper.
Leaf is over priced in Aus and ,NZ compared to UK.
Check Pound / USD / AUD convertion
Nice Video, I´m from Germany and I just ordered the car cat funky whatever....
Thanks Markus! Is the Funky Cat really good value there too?
@@therightcar It´s a bit expensive, but the interior is quite nice. My brother in Law is from China, the price there is only 18000 US-Dollar, here in Germany more than double.
Yeah wow, the home ground advantage is great if you live in China! But of course there are other considerations living there!